More than 2 out of 5 passengers have felt unsafe whilst riding in unlicensed taxis, new research from a technology firm has found.
The tech company in question is Alfi, whom supply taxis and ride-sharing vehicles with screens that give passengers a range of services, which include important info from travel updates to local and international news, along with additional revenue earning opportunities with both operators and drivers, say their study found 42 percent of customers riding in unlicensed taxis have at some stage or other felt at risk during the trip and that rises to nearly 50% of female customers, in comparison to 38% of male passengers.
Riders biggest concern whilst travelling in unlicensed taxis is the fear of the car being dangerous. Around 41 percent who had felt unsafe in an unlicensed taxi or private hire vehicle said it was mainly because they felt the cars were not roadworthy, whilst 31% said it was due to their concerns about the drivers’ skills.
But the driver behaviour was also a real cause for concern – 27 percent stated that the driver flirted with them or made an unwelcome pass at them, whilst 24 percent told us the driver was very tired and 22 percent were concerned that the driver was drunk and aggressive. Around 20 percent said the driver did not seem to know where they were going.
Alfi went on to say that the prevalence of unlicensed taxis is a huge concern. Its research indicates around 1 in 10 adults – the equivalent to 5.8 million people across the UK – had used an unlicensed local taxi near me in the past 5 years. The main reason for riders using them is desperation and convenience in getting to their destination.
Around 1 in 3 people (31%) who have travelled in unlicensed taxis said they did so due to the convenience, whilst 30% said they just needed to get to their destination. Around 16% said unlicensed taxis cost less whilst 12% weren’t able to book a licensed taxi. Around 11% admit it was because they were intoxicated and weren’t able to get a licensed taxi.
The research was carried out by independent research company Consumer Intelligence amongst 1,000 adults aged 18+ proportionate in representing the demographic profile of the UK on 4th to 7th June 2021.
Kevin Buchanan, VP of UK Operations said: “It is truly worrying that a huge number of people haven’t felt safe when using unlicensed taxis and in particular that so many women felt at risk when using them.
“Licensed taxis provide a crucial service, taxi drivers can be relied upon and trusted to remain professional and offer a safe journey. It can be all too tempting to flag an unlicensed taxi if it is cheaper and you are desperate, but it is always much safer to rely on licensed taxis.”
